Solo brass and organ aren’t natural bedfellows - questions of scale
and balance arise - but as I discovered with a recording entitled Prières
sans paroles repertoire is key. That terrific disc pairs Håkan Hardenberger
(trumpet) and Simon Preston (organ) in a carefully chosen programme that,
combined with a top-flight Super Audio recording, makes this collection sheer
delight from start to finish (BIS-SACD-1109). With those memories very much
in mind I was keen to hear if that recipe works for this new Dynamic release
as well. The label, artists and playlist are new to me, making this another
‘innocent ear’ review - the kind I like best.

Massimo Giacchetti studied at the Pescara Conservatory, has his own quartet
and has won a number of national and international awards for his sax playing.
Manuela Di Marco, also a Pescara graduate, has attended master classes with
several distinguished organists; in this recording she plays the organ of
Chiesa di Sant Alessandro, in the Italian province of Lecco. The duo start
off with Hommage à Saint-Hadelin, by the Belgian composer
André Lamproye. Although outwardly a serious piece - apparently this
saint is much revered in the Belgian diocese of Namur - it’s full of
bounce and good humour.

Indeed, this infectious opener had me grinning from ear to ear, such is the
charm of the piece and the enthusiasm of these two artists. Giacchetti’s
playing is simply astonishing - clear, athletic and, above all, full of character.
The movements alternate between simple gravitas and unbridled joy; as for
the warm, generous sound of the organ it’s perfect for the piece - and
superbly caught as well. The Dynamic engineers have come up with an ideal
balance; the high, ringing tones of the sax are as naturally rendered as the
quiet, more liquid ones. Goodness, what a heart-lifting piece this is, and
how these players make it sing.

After almost wearing out the repeat button I had to move on - somewhat reluctantly
- convinced that nothing else would please me as much as this. Well, I was
wrong, for there’s not a dud work in this collection. Trois Mélodies
grégoriennes, by Guy de Lioncourt, a French composer and pupil
of d’Indy, has an austere beauty that ravishes the ear. This is sax
playing of a high order, and it’s complemented by Di Marco’s discreet
accompaniment. As for Sonate I, by the Québécois organist-composer
Denis Bédard, it’s both ebullient and reflective. The closing
Humoresque is a real test of Giacchetti’s skill; needless to say, he’s
not found wanting.

Ludium I-III, penned by the Austrian composer Alarich Wallner, isn’t
as dry as its title might suggest. It has a lovely, rhapsodic feel - and an
occasionally piquant organ part - and the wistful conclusion to I is
just magical. Nothing seems to faze this duo, and the sense of shared enjoyment
is palpable throughout. Happily, the quality of these pieces is just as consistent;
the last two compositions - by Italians Giorgio Paris and Italo Di Cioccio
- are contemporary but they’re utterly accessible. Remarkably, Giacchetti
and Di Marco sound fresh and spontaneous to the very end.

What an unexpected treasure trove this is, and how deserving of your precious
time and money. The liner-notes are lucid and idiomatically translated too,
which makes for a most desirable issue.